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Yanmei Lin, Vermont Law School
Faculty
U.S.-Asia Staff

Yanmei Lin

Professor of Law
Deputy Director, U.S.-Asia Partnerships for Environmental Law
U.S.-Asia Partnerships for Environmental Law
Environmental Law Center

PhD, China University of Political Science and Law

LLM, New York University

Master of Law, Fudan University

BA, Fudan University

802-831-1050

Curriculum Vitae

Yanmei Lin

Biography

Yanmei Lin is a Professor of Law at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) and Deputy Director of the U.S.-Asia Partnerships for Environmental Law. Her research and programmatic work focus on the rule of law development in China’s environmental governance. She has led the development and the implementation of the Partnership for Environmental Justice Project which supported the establishment a new Environment and Biodiversity Law Clinic in Yunnan Province to provide legal aid services to NGOs and vulnerable communities. She also supported the design and implementation of environmental law judicial training programs for Chinese judges and lawyers. She is the author of over 40 academic articles both in Chinese and English in the area of comparative environmental law such as environmental public interest litigation, citizen suits, wetland and wildlife protection and the access and benefit sharing of genetical resources and traditional knowledge.

In 2021, Professor Lin was named the 2022 Richard Brooks Distinguished Faculty Scholar. The Award is given to a faculty member who has contributed significantly to the scholarly mission of Vermont Law School. An "unsung publishing hero," Professor Lin has developed a set of scholarly work that has influenced the development of a more robust environmental governance system.

Before she joined VLGS School in October 2010, Yanmei was a program officer for American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s China program and a researcher for China Institute of Environment and Resources Protection in Minority Areas at the Central University for Nationalities. She holds a LL.B.  and LL.M in Jurisprudence from Fudan University and an LL.M. in international Legal Studies from New York University School of Law. She has a Ph.D. in Environmental and Resources Law from China University of Political Science and Law. She is an affiliated Professor of Law at Yango University in Fujian Province and Research Fellow of Research Center for Ecological Governance and Rule of Law at Shantou University in Guangdong Province. She also serves as Co-Chair for the Teaching and Capacity Building Committee of IUCN Academy of Law.

Publications

Articles

“Fukushima’s Wastewater Problem: Balancing the Ocean’s Health with an Increasing Need for More Low-Carbon Energy,” (with Alexander Hume), Vermont Journal of Environmental Law Top 10 Watch List (2023).

“The Sword of Damocles?: Analyzing China’s Ecological Environmental Damage Liability under the New Civil Code,” (with Hao Zhuang) IUCN Colloquium Proceeding on Re-imagining Environmental Law (Amanda Kennedy, ed.), Edward Elgar Publishing (forthcoming).

“Comparative Study of Environmental Public Interest Litigation Systems,” (with Juan Chu) Research Handbook on Comparative Environmental Law (Tseming Yang, ed.), Edward Elgar Publishing (2023).

“The United States’ National Park System: Overview, Challenges and Policy Recommendations to China,” (with James Brien), Journal of Environmental Law & Policy (forthcoming).

Forging Partnerships and Fostering Wisdom: Dynamics of an Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network in Advocating Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in China” (with Natalie W. M. Wong), The Chinese Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 10, Oxford University Press (2022).

"Forging Partnerships and Fostering Wisdom: Dynamics of NGOs Using Environmental Public Interest Litigations in Advocating Sustainable Waste Management in China," LIN Yanmei and Natalie Wong, Chinese Journal of Comparative Law, (forthcoming 2021).

"Practical Analysis on Ecological Environmental Damages Assessment System: A Case Study of Onondaga Lake’s Ecological Damages Assessment," LIN Yanmei, ZHANG Wei and DAI Rong, Journal of Minzu University (Natural Science), 2020, 29(03).

"Overview of Ecology Law Scholarship in the United States," Ecology Law Review, Chinese Academy of Social Science, Law Press (2020).

"Waterkeepers' Environmental Public Interest Litigation Actions to Restore Watershed Health," Journal of Chinese Prosecutors (2020).

“Environmental Mission Scholars Program: Fostering Next Generation of Environmental Public Interest Law Practitioners” China’s Environmental Law Education and Innovation in Practical Training (June 2019) 

“A Perfect Storm: How China’s Taizhou Case Marks the Beginning of a New Wave of Environmental Enforcement” (with Amy Pickering), Environmental Story around the World, the Proceedings of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law 15th Colloquium (University of Cebu Philippines, Edward Elgar) (May 2020).

"China’s Waste Ban Exposes Missing Links in Recycling," Vermont Journal of Environmental Law's 2019 Top 10 Watch List, December 2018.

"U.S-China Comparative Study on Environmental Public Interest Litigation Practices," Journal of Social Governance, February 15, 2018

Article, "Comparative Study on U.S. China Environmental Public Interest Litigation Practice,"  Journal of Social Governance in China, December 2017.

​“Environmental and Biodiversity Law Clinic at Southwest Forestry University: A New Environmental Law Clinic Model in China”, Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, October 2016.

​“Environmental Civil Public Interest Litigation: Empowering Chinese Environmental NGOs to Fight against Pollution” (with Hu Shaobo), China Environmental Series 13, (2016)

LIN Yanmei, Comparative Study on Comprehensive and Centralized Jurisdiction Model of Specialized Environmental Courts and Tribunals, Journal of China University of Political Science and Law, Issue 1, 2015: 62-71

LIN Yanmei , An Analysis on the Implementation Effects of India's Access and Benefit Sharing Regime on Biological Resources and Relevant Traditional Knowledge, Journal of Guizhou Normal University (Social Science), 2015, No.192(01) 98-103

LIN Yanmei and CHENG Gong, India’s Legal Regime on Access to and Benefits Sharing of Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge, Journal of Guizhou Social Science, Issue 10, 2014: 87-91

Chapters

"Overview of U.S. Wildlife Cases Litigated by DOJ;" "A Case Study on Wildlife Protection through Natural Resources Damages Claims;" two book chapters in a book on US-China Comparative Wildlife Environmental Public Interest Litigation (forthcoming 2021).

"A Perfect Storm: How China's Taizhou Case Marks the Beginning of a New Wave of Environmental Enforcement" (with Amy Pickering), The Impact of Environmental Law Stories of the World We Want, Edited by Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio, Elizabeth A. Kirk and Jessica Steinberg Albin, Edward Elgar (EE) Publications (2020).

“Rules and Practices of Citizen Suits Settlement: Lesson from the United States”, Review of Public Interest Litigation in Environmental Protection, edited by Li Dun, Legal Press (November 2018).

LIN Yanmei ​​“International Perspectives: Citizen Suits in the U.S.”, Environmental Public Interest Litigation Annual Observation Report, Li Dun(eds.), Law Press, China (October, 2016)​

Other

"Wildlife crime in China: Analysis of Legislation and Selected Court Cases," LIN Yanmei and Carolyne Clermont, IUCN Environmental Law Centre Report (forthcoming 2021).

LIN Yanmei and Natalie Wong, “Alternative Form of Environmental Contention in China: the Case of Zero Waste Alliance,” conference proceedings of Modes of activism under authoritarian governance regimes in the Asia-Pacific, Sydney, Australia, November 14–15, 2019.

LIN Yanmei, “Waterkeepers’ EPIL Actions to Restore Watershed Health,” Journal of Chinese Prosecutors, August 2019.

LIN Yanmei Abstract, "A Perfect Storm: How the Taizhou Case Marks the Beginning of a New Wave of Environmental Enforcement in China" (with Amy Pickering), IUCN Academy of Environmental Law 15th Annual Colloquium (29 May - 2 June 2017).

LIN Yanmei , Ma Rongzhen, Ge Feng Where the Compensation Fund Comes from in the Environmental Public Interest Litigation? How to Manage the Fund? China Environment, Issue 2, 2017, February 20, 2017

​LIN Yanmei and Yin Hong “Digital Environment and Public Participation in China” (with Yin Hong), Southeast Academy Research 2016, No.254 (04) 95-100

​LIN Yanmei, “International Perspectives: Citizen Suits in the U.S.,” in Environmental Public Interest Litigation Annual Observation Report in China, Li Dun, Legal Press, (December, 2016). 

​LIN Yanmei “Environmental and Biodiversity Law Clinic at Southwest Forestry University: A New Environmental Law Clinic Model in China,” 18 Vt. J. Envtl. L. 19, (Winter 2016). 

LIN Yanmei, Hudson River Keeper’s Environmental Public Interest Litigation, Review of Public Interest Litigation In Environmental Protection , Li Dun, Legal Press, December, 2016, 365-370

LIN Yanmei and Jiaru Hou, Toxic Release Inventory: US Lessons and Experiences for China, Journal of Ocean University of China (Social Sciences Edition), Issue No. 1, 2014

LIN Yanmei, Wang Xiaoxi, Environmental Public Interest Litigation Back to the Beginning in 2013, Annual Report on Environment Development of China (2014), Social Science Academic Press, May, 2014, 146, Brill Press 2015

LIN Yanmei, Case Analysis of Interfaith Community Organization, et al., v. Honeywell International, Inc., et al, Review of Public Interest Litigation In Environmental Protection, Li Dun, Legal Press, December, 2016, 361-365

LIN Yanmei, CHEN Yue, China’s New National Rules on Wetland Protection, IUCN Academy of Environmental Law E-Journal, Issue 5: 2014, 117

LIN Yanmei and Jack Tuholske, Green NGOs Win China's First Environmental Public Interest Litigation: The Nanping Case, Environmental Law Reporter, December, 2016.

WANG Canfa, LIN Yanmei, Improve and Perfect China’s Government Environmental Information Disclosure System, Administration Reform, Issue 6: 2014, July, 2014

Presentations

“Just Transition Practices under the Double Carbon Goals,” presenter, The Eighth Public Interest Fellows for NGO Shanghai Training (August 2023).

“Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition in Asia Pacific,” discussant, The Luojia Forum of Research Institute of Environmental Law, Wuhan University (July 2023).

“Just Transition, Climate Justice and Public Participation,” speaker,  Public Participation in Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation Conference, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China ( March 2023).

“CSO-led Administrative Public Interest Litigation,” panelist, Public Participation in Addressing Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation Conference, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China (2023).

“The Role of Civil Society Organizations in China’s Environmental Governance,” guest lecture for National Chengchi University, Taiwan (October 2022).

“A New Empirical View on Environmental Law Enforcement in China:  Implementation of EPIL in Yangtze River Region,” Environmental Law Scholarship Colloquium at Vermont Law and Graduate School (September 2022).

“The Sword of Damocles?: Analyzing China’s Ecological Environment Damage Liability under the New Civil Code,” (with Hao Zhuang), in the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Colloquium on Recovery, Reimagine and Resilience (July 2022).

“An Empirical View of Private Environmental Law Enforcement,” (with Hao Zhuang & Steven Wolf) in Research Workshop on ‘Non-doctrinal Research Methods in Environmental Law: Applying scientific disciplines and other knowledge to law and policy research to cope with complexity’, IUCN Academy of Environmental Law (July 2022).

“Environmental Public Interest Law Practices,” lecture for non-for-profit organization in Shanghai, China (May 2022).

“Lesson Learned from the Development of China’s Environmental Public Interest Litigation”, Online Conference of Enhancing the Role of Environmental Public Interest Litigation to Advance Environmental Rights in Southeast Asia, Convened by UNEP and Earthrights International (November 24-25, 2021). 

"Overview of U.S. Environmental Law and Governance," International and Comparative Environmental Law Speaker Series organized by East China Normal University School of Law (November 12, 2021). 

“Engaging in Environmental Governance in China: Environmental Groups’ Self-perceptions,” at the Online Workshop of Practice and Meaning of Environmental Citizenship in Taiwan and China, sponsored by the Research Institute, September 10, 2021.

“Nature-based Solutions for Achieving Carbon-neutral in the Construction of Ecological Civilization”, at the Seminar on International Environmental Law for Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality, July 4, 2021, sponsored by School of Law and China Green Development Research Institute, Tianjin University.

“Environmental Public Participation in EIA Process: Case Studies in Fuzhou, China,” Private Enforcement & Environmental Law: Civil Society Organizations, Public Interests, and Accountability; sponsored by Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources and Environment and University of Chicago Law School, March 12, 2021. 

“Environmental Clinic Education and Public Interest Legal Service”, at the Session on Environmental Clinic Education and the Construction of Ecological Civilization of 6th Ecological Co-governance Conference, sponsored by Environmental Law Branch of China Society of Environmental Science in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, December 11, 2020.

“Forging Partnerships and Fostering Wisdom: Dynamics of Environmental NGO Networks in Advocating Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in China,” 11th Annual Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship, Vermont Law School, September 24, 2020.

“Observations on the Difference of Legal Reasoning in the U.S. and China,” a presentation to LL.M students from Tsinghua-Temple LL.M Program in Beijing, China, November 25, 2019.

Presenter, “Watershed Judiciary and Ecological Restoration,” 5th Ecological Co-Governance Symposium, sponsored by Environmental Law Branch of China Society of Environmental Science, Fuzhou, China, November 9, 2019.

Presenter, “Environmental Public Participation and Public Interest Legal Service under the New Environmental Protection Law,” at the Environmental Information Disclosure and Public Participation Symposium, sponsored by Fujian Green Home, Fuzhou, China, November 7–8, 2019.

Commentator, “Simulations of Multi-stakeholders Negotiation and Mediation for the Protecting Endanger Species Habitats” at the Boot Comp for Public Participation in Biodiversity Conservation, sponsored by Friends of Nature, June 25, 2019.

Panelist, “Young Scholars’ Perspectives on Environmental Public Interest Litigation” at 2nd Annual Environmental Disputes Resolution Conference, Sponsored by the China Society of Environmental Law, and Tianjing University School of Law, June 16, 2019

Presenter, “Restore to the Origin or Design for the Future: The Frontier of China’s Environmental Public Interest Litigation” for Flinn Scholars, Arizona State University, CIEE College Study Abroad Beijing Program, June 3, 2019.

“Comparative Study on U.S. and China’s Environmental Clinic Legal Education and the Introduction of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Mission Scholars Program,” Speaker, sponsored by University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, China, April 16, 2019.

Presenter, Environmental Mission Scholars Program and the Trend of Environmental Clinical Education, Fuzhou Normal University Fuqing Branch, China, March 7, 2019.

Facilitator, "Environmental Rule of Law and Water Sources Protection," Multiple Sources - More Players and More Solutions to Protect Water Sources, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China, January 5, 2019.

Presenter, "Exploring the Role of Problem-based Service Learning in Environmental Law Education" China Environmental Science Society Environmental Law Branch Annual Conference, Beijing, China, December 9, 2018.

Presenter, “Environmental Mission Scholars Program: Fostering Next Generation of Environmental Public Interest Law Practitioners,” Conference on Environmental Law Education and Innovation in Practical Training, Renmin University of China, November 16, 2018. 

Presenter, “Onondaga Lake: From Pollution to Restoration- a Successful Case Study for Reference to China’s Ecological Damages Compensation System,” Symposium on Ecological Environmental Damages Procedures, sponsored by Supreme People’s Court’s Practical Base and Tianjing University School of Law, November 10, 2018.

“Overview of U.S. Environmental Legislation and Key Environmental Statues” Environmental Defense Fund China Program, October 13, 2018.

“Restore to the Origin or Design for the Future: Case Discussion of the Ecological Destruction Public Interest Litigation”, Duke Kunshan University, September 10, 2018.

"Where the Compensation Fund Comes from in the Environmental Public Interest Litigation? How to manage the fund?" (With Ma Rongzhen & Ge Feng), China Environment, Issue 2 (February 20, 2017)

Presentation to the delegation from Union College for the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Beijing on June 28, 2016.

​"Adaptive Law to Foster Resilience of Lashihai Watershed" and "Improving enforcement or compensating environmental damages: An analysis of china's civil environmental public interest litigation from a comparative perspective" at Environmental Law on Three Continents – A Research Conference on Comparative Environmental Law in China, USA and EU in Uppsala, Sweden, 25-28 August 2015​

​"From Basics to Legal Frontiers: Introduction to Environmental Legal Litigation in China?" Faculty Development Seminars in China, International Faculty Development Seminars (IFDS), June 4, 2015

Awards & Accomplishments

Awards, Honors or Grants

In 2021, Professor Lin was named the 2022 Richard Brooks Distinguished Faculty Scholar. The Award is given to a faculty member who has contributed significantly to the scholarly mission of Vermont Law School. An "unsung publishing hero," Professor Lin has developed a set of scholarly work that has influenced the development of a more robust environmental governance system. 

Affiliations

Standing Member of the Environmental Law Branch of China Environmental Science Society (2019-present).

Member of the Editor Board for the Book on Review of Public Interest Litigation in Environmental Protection

Member of the Taskforce for the Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network 

Member of the Taskforce for the Environmental Law Clinic at Wuhan University 

Member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) 

Member of the Editorial Board of International Journal of Environmental Law and Policy 

One of the Founders of Grassroots Community Association, a local NGO in Shanghai, China